“It seems DIY, but it’s actually not. There are some big money men behind the curtains pulling all the strings and we turn up in separate limos when we play live because we can’t stand each other,” jokes Leeds based noise-punk Super Luxury guitarist Chris Riviera. In truth, the exciting four-piece (completed by vocalist Adam Nodwell, Tom Goodall on bass and drummer Hamish Watts) are a true do-it-yourself affair.
“We’re extremely fortunate to have two recording engineers in our band (Tom / Hamish) and access to friends’ recording equipment for free of charge, as well as a graphic designer front man (Adam) so nearly every aspect of the band is taken care of and there isn’t really the need for external people to get involved,” Riviera continues more earnestly.
With full creative freedom, Super Luxury direct all their energy into their sound. Although drawing comparisons to state-side contemporaries such as Metz and Cloud Nothings, their often unrelenting screams and fast paced delivery provides them with a more distinctively punk edge than initial reference points may suggest. Super Luxury are heavy.
“We’re basically a group of friends making a racket and doing a band as we think it should be done,” Riviera explains. “We wanted to start a band that reflected our mutual love of noise rock and classic rock bands like AC/DC. The idea was to make it heavy, yet as catchy as possible to reflect that sort of fist pumping moment when you hear ‘Back in Black’ or Zeppelin’s ‘Communication Breakdown’ for the first time, but filter it through noisy bands we’re into like Flipper and the Jesus Lizard.”
On the ridiculously titled ‘Ian Mackaye Made so Much Money Out Of Fugazi That He Lives In A Solid Gold House And Drives A Solid Gold Car And He sits On His Driveway but He Can’t Go Anywhere Because The Wheels Are Made Of Solid Gold’, Super Luxury amp up their noise rock influences to the max. Honouring the Fugazi, Minor Threat et al. founder, the track channels more than a little of his unapologetic force.
“In our opinion, Ian Mackaye formed some of the most influential and brilliant bands of the last 30 odd years,” Riviera explains of the track. “We wanted to celebrate that, but thought that a track titled something like ‘Ian Is Our Hero’ would be dull and predictable. We therefore came up with as ludicrous a title as possible, influenced by recent criticisms levelled at Ian Mackaye for his supposed net worth, and used that.”
The track is taken from the band’s forthcoming debut full-length, ‘Then Years Of Solid Applause’, from which they have already revealed ‘Golden Climbing’ and ‘Constant Delicious’ – both of which are available to hear via BandCamp. All three tracks demonstrate their ferocious noise rock, yet with classic rock undertones (“The solo is a nod to thunderstruck by AC/DC,” Riviera reveals of the latest track).
As Super Luxury prepare for some sporadic live dates throughout March and April, they have their sights firmly set on enjoying themselves and getting their music heard. In time, they should be treating themselves to more items than “the chair made of elephant tusks that I’m sat in right now” – guitarist Riviera’s response when asked for his most luxury item. We presume jokingly.
For more on Super Luxury, head to their Facebook page and Blogspot. ‘Ten Years Of Solid Applause’ will be available from the 21st March 2015 via British Wildlife Records – available to pre-order via BandCamp. To catch them live, check out their forthcoming tour dates below.
MARCH
11 LEEDS Nation of Shopkeepers w/ Irk, Fawn Spots
13 BRISTOL Stag and Hounds
14 ROCHESTER Poco Loco
21 LEEDS Brudenell Social Club (Album Launch)
April
03 PECKHAM Super Unison Recording Studio
04 MANCHESTER Islington Mill
05 LIVERPOOL Maguires Pizza Bar
18 NORWICH Owl Sanctuary